Personal relationships and conversations, far and away, are the more transformative thing for many of us.

• The privilege of having conversations with Lil’wat and N’Quatqua, folk, particularly Tanina Williams, Lisa Sambo, Gelpcal Joseph, Wayne Andrew, Maxine Bruce.
• I work with Indigenous Communities
• Every conversation with Lisa Sambo
• I’m so very lucky to have lived and worked in the unceded territory of the Lil’wat Nation for the past 25 years. In this time, I have made many indigenous friends, colleagues and students who have invited me to learn the history of their land and experiences as well as their culture and language.
• Working with Lil’wat youth at the Visitors Centre. I also tutored 3 Lil’wat women who were struggling to pass university level English. Both situations gave me a deeper awareness and compassion for Indigenous people.
• I do a lot of asking questions to people within the community and learning with my dear friend who teaches and speaks to this and is a therapist in our community
• Nukwantwal has been great to begin building relationships and learn how best to support. However it has been frank conversations that have generally had the most impact on me.
• work conversations, learning language
• Having been taught the unvarnished history of Canada.
• I work a lot with St’at’imc communities, and feel really lucky to do so. I think where it starts is istening – always. Inform myself first about what is happening before jumping in. I think people need to educate themselves and not be afraid to speak up. I have a great circle around me who I feel safe to talk to about these things, if I am unsure.
• Stories from First Nations members at the Pemberton’s museum
• read the list of residential schools on national centre for truth and reconciliation website
• Spending time with my cousin-in-law who is FN, a teacher and former band council member
• I live in Devine and I have had a lot of encounters with Nquatqua elders as well as working with Lil Wat cultural technicians on projects I help to support my work at the Village of Pemberton.
• The most two impactful conversations I have had this year were with an American white supremacist, and a Canadian friend who showed me the racism that happens when people are so fearful of imaginary scenarios and so ignorant of their privilege and the ongoing effects of colonization that they won’t engage with reconciliation.
• Getting to know staff at the Lilwat Nation.
• University courses
• My work and the 1st nations community I work with daily
• Knowing/working with lots of indigenous people from near and far and hearing stories from them of their experiences in residential schools and reservations, I see how deep the problem is and how many people are affected. Hearing about the current situation on the reservation lands and within those communities from a friend who works in law enforcement and responds to incidents that the rest of Pemby doesn’t hear about is heartbreaking
• PORCA’s Intro to Mountain Biking program with Lil’wat Recreation and previously Indigenous Women Outdoors
• Relationships with Indigenous coworkers and youth that I worked with.
• I am lucky to have the opportunity to listen to stories from Lilwat Nation community members which translates into the opportunity to learn.
• Personal and work relationships, working with and meeting Lilwat people
• Interacting with elders and other members or Lil’wat Nation. Community forest presentations.
• Covid seemed to be a time where many things were flipped on their head and I have been reconsidering many things since that first lockdown.
• Being intentional about asking for the perspective of the nations
• There is a lot of talk about truth and reconciliation, but not a lot of action to implement the 94 calls to action.
• major sports teams like BC Lions embracing T&R
• I am the first generation of my family to not attend residential school
• Working on the Nkwúkwma – Cultural Interpretive Plan. It hasn’t been easy to gain insight from the Lil’wat community. It showed me that simple steps moving forward is still something the Lil’wat7ul do not think they are ready for. However; it’s crucial for the longevity of this community, for our kids to have a place to call home. There’s a lot of working things the Nation has been overlooked for and not listened to. It is the time to change and grow, continue traditions, work with the living communities around us. Not to see everyone as a threat. If the nation continues to ignore the positive possibilities than nothing will continue to change and we will continue to lose more and more.
• conversations and finding information out fo
• Speech made by one Dr.Levinia Brown at the Truth and Reconciliation: Remembering the children Ceremony in Ottawa.
• Indirectly from the YouTube Channels XiaomaNYC and Peter Santanello.
• I appreciate the drive of the pemberton community to strengthen our relationship, i experienced it at the pemberton info sessions
• I take it personally when Pemberton residents give me frowns and glares when I am in their space.
• racist posts on Facebook
• Friendships with Indigenous folks